SOFTWARE ENGINEERING ETHICS

Computer, June 2009, pp. 66–73

The Public Is the Priority: Making Decisions Using the Software Engineering Code of Ethics

by Donald Gotterbarn and Keith W. Miller

Codes of ethics are often viewed as a way to regulate the behavior of members of a profession. The Software Engineering Code of Ethics and Professional Practice emphasizes self-regulation as well, offering practical advice, fundamental principles, and methods for applying its guidelines in difficult situations.

An important challenge is using the Code to balance multiple factors when deciding on the best course of action. The Code can help a software engineer make complex technical and ethical decisions that are better for the public, the profession, and the engineer. We present three cases—one fictional and two based on news reports—that illustrate how a software professional can use the Code as a decision-making aid when ethical conflicts arise.